Weddingbee Blog

Hi Hive! We’re kicking off a new series in which bees show off their hometowns from a girls’ night point of view! If you’re planning your bachelorette, stay tuned… the “Bachelorette in My Hometown” series is coming to a city near you!

~~~

New York City is a great place to have a Bachelorette weekend—in fact, it’s hard to go out on Saturday night and not run into at least one (if not more!) bachelorettes and her posse out and about celebrating!  Since New York is quite vast and full of possibilities, I focused my Bachelorette in My Hometown on Downtown Manhattan—essentially 23rd Street and south.  All of the recommendations in this post are just based on my own experience and do not reflect all of the options that are out there!

My first tip on visiting NYC for any location is to pick up a Time Out NY when you arrive—there are always fun things happening in the city, and I have found this to be one of the most consolidated and comprehensive ways of finding out about what’s going on!

Where to Stay:

There are a million hotels all over New York City, and recently many friends and family have had luck finding great deals in the Financial District for around $100 on priceline.com. Another great option is to rent an apartment for the weekend, on a website like airbnb.com—just make sure to make the location before you commit, and see that it is near where you want to be, or at least near several trains/buses for the weekend.

What to do during the day if you want to get out and about:

There are so many things that you can do during the day, but here are just a few suggestions for downtown Manhattan.

• Get a mani/pedi in the East Village for $20 (total!).

(source)

There are few places that have such a great deal for a combined day of pampering, and while they may lack a certain spa-quality, you can beat the price and there is always a ton of polish options and professional service! My favorite is Aroma Nail and Spa on First Avenue between 12th and 13th Streets, but if you wind up in the general neighborhood, there are several with this deal!

• Check out Chelsea Market/The Highline

(source)

In my opinion, Chelsea Market is one of the coolest places to walk around in Manhattan, rain or shine. There are tons of shops and markets, from chocolates to cheese and everything in between, and it’s all brick with some cool art installations. This is a great place to have an afternoon snack!

If it’s nice out, the High Line has quickly become one of the most popular places to go for a stroll.

(source)

From 14th to 30th Street, the High Line is outdoor walking space built on an old elevated train track. It’s a unique outdoor park, and the perfect place to enjoy a sunny day in New York City in any season.

What to do during the day if you want to stay in:

Going out and seeing NYC can be awesome, but if you want to spend the morning in your PJs, there is no need to head outside. Here is an idea that you can do right in your hotel/apartment.

• Baking with Bertha

If you loved Mrs. Doubtfire, and you enjoy delicious home baked treats, then Baking with Bertha is the perfect activity! Bertha arrives wherever you are, and is ready to go with ingredients, aprons and recipes for the whole party, and even a special gift for the bride-to-be.

Here I am, baking with Bertha, at a recent Bachelorette party that I helped to organize for a friend in NYC.

(personal photo)

Baking with Bertha was a wonderful for experience, as she imparted her wisdom of baking and relationships on us, and we got to spend an unforgettable afternoon together.

Our group, post-baking

(personal photo)

You definitely do not have to go out to have a quintescential NYC experience that you will never forget!

Where to eat/play:

There could not be more restaurant/bars/clubs options in New York City. Here are some resources on finding the best place to go for group, and then I will give some specific recommendations.

• menupages.com is a list that you can sort of restaurants all over the city. If you want to filter by cuisine, or by neighborhood, or even by specific menu item, you cannot go wrong with menupages.

• Savoured.com is a new website for NYC that you can make reservations through for $10, and save 30% on your meal (including drinks). For larger groups/more expensive restaurants, this is a fantastic way to make a reservation and to save a little money.

Going out Downtown:

If you’re looking for good food and a fun night, you can’t beat downtown Manhattan! I recommend going for dinner in Little Italy—particularly in nicer weather, many of the restaurants put tables out front or in their backyard patios, and the food is out of the world. One of my favorites is Da Nico in the heart of Little Italy, with fabulous outdoor seating and killer pasta!

Just a short walk from Little Italy (because, really, who wants a long walk in heels!), are two of NYC’s party hotspots—the Lower East Side and the East Village. On the Lower East Side, you can do some serious dancing at Fat Baby, and if you get tired there, just wander down the street and pop into any one of the several bars on the street. If you want to head into the East Village, No Malice Palace always has great tunes and a packed dance floor. If you are in the mood to head a little more west, the Canal Room has 80′s nights on Saturdays with live music, and often 90′s nights specials on the weekend.

Nursing your hangover (aka Brunch):

No trip to New York City is complete without going to brunch. You always have the option of many local diners and bagel shops, and the food will be delicious, but brunch is one of those New York meals that we seem to have gotten right!

Here are a few of my favorite downtown brunch spots:

• Peels is a newish spot to grab delicious southern brunch—I’ve never had anything that wasn’t delicious! There are biscuits and grits and eggs, and all of it is amazing!

• Cafe Orlin has a variety of menu options, and a really great backyard patio to sit out on while you enjoy your food (and kick your headache!).

• Five Points is a quiet spot with an expansive menu that could suit any set of taste buds.

• Diablo Royale has delicious food AND an all-you-can-drink special to boot!

There are so many more options, I couldn’t possibly list them all—but hopefully, this is a start!

I hope this helps you plan your Downtown NYC Bachelorette Party—and do me a favor, invite me along because you are going to have a fabulous weekend right in my neck of the woods!

You can also check out Mrs. Fox’s NYC Bachelorette Weekend.

Do you have any other tips for planning a Downtown Manhattan Bachelorette party? What are some of your favorite NYC spots or things to do?